Pneumatic adjuster for angle-cocks on train-pipes.



No. 891,675. v PATENTED JUNE 23, 1908. W. S. DE CAMP.

PNEUMATIC ADJUSTER FOR ANGLE COOKS 0N TRAIN PIPES.

APPLICATION FILED MAE-17, 1908.

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No. 891,675. PATENTED JUNE 23, 1908- W. S. DB CAMP.

PNEUMATIC ADJUSTER FOR ANGLE COOKS 0N TRAIN PIPES.

- APPLICATION FILED MAK- l l 7 908 2 SHEETB-BHEET 2.

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WILLIAM S. DE CAMP, OF CHILLIGOTHE, OHIO.

PNEUMATIC ADJUSTER FOR AN GLE-COCKS ON TRAIN-PIPES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, 1908.

Application filed March 17, 1908. Serial No. 421,633.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. DE CAMP, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Ohillicothe, in the county of Ross and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic Adjusters for Angle-Cocks on Train-Pipes, of which the following is a specification.

In the Westinghouse system of air brakes it is common to employ a train pipe which carries the air through the train, the connection for which train pipe between the cars is made by flexible hose couplings and anglecocks which are capable of closing the end of a train pipe at its junction with the hose pipe. In connection with this brake system, it is also common to use a signal pipe charged with air at a lower pressure than that contained in the train pi e, which signal pipe is by means of suita le appliances utilized for enabling the conductor at any portion of the train to communicate with the engineer. For this purpose each car is provided with a suitable discharge valve by which the air ressure in the signal pipe is reduced and W 'ch reduction of airpressure through a signal valve on the locomotive is made to blow a whistle and thus apprise the engineer of the communication from the conductor. As will be readily understood, the signal pipes of the car are required to be connected by a hose coupling at points between the cars in the same manner as the brake hose coupling forthe brake pipe. It has also been necessary to provide at each end of the signal pipe on a car a stop cock which is required to be turned off by hand whenever the hose coupling between the cars is separated for disconnecting one or more cars of the train. The necessity for thus turning oif this stop cock is apparent, since otherwise it woul result in the exhaustion of the air from the signal pipe and also from the main reservoir. After any car has been disconnected in the train and the stop cock of the signal pipe turned OE, and it becomes necessary to reconnect such car to the same or any other train, it will be seen that it also necessary for the brakeman to again open such closed stop cock in order to permit a through communication with the signal pi es of the other cars of the train. If it shou d happen that the brakeman should fail to thus open this closed stop cock it will be seen that all that portion of the train on the OE side from the locomotive from said closed sto cock would be rendered inoperative. In ike mannerit will be apparent that if any angle-cock in the train pipe has been turned off and inadvertently left so after the car is coupled up in the train, then in such case the brakes on the ofi side of this angle-cock from the locomotive are also rendered inoperative with results which may be disastrous.

In a separate application for a patent filed March 17, 1908, Serial No. 421,634, I have shown and described an invention whose object is first to dispense with all stop cocks in the signal pipe and thereby secure an economy in construction, but, more important still, to dispense with the necessity for any attention on the part of the brakeman to this signal pipe beyond the mere coupling of the hose, and also to place the operative or non-operative condition of the signal pipe Within the range of observation of the engineer and under his immediate control in the cab. To these ends that invention consisted in interposing between the reducing valve for the main reservoir and the signal valve of the engineers whistle, a three-way cock by means of which the continuity of the air from the main reservoir to the signal ipe may be maintained, or the air out off om the signal pipe at the will of the engineer.

My present invention has for its object to extend these same desirable results to the control of all angle-cocks in the brake system by the engineer who at a glance can thus tell the operative position of the anglecocks and open them up if inadvertently left closed.

This invention therefore consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts whereby the engineer through the signal pipe has perfect control over the opening of t e angle-cocks, without interfering with the independent manual closing of any angle-cock by a brakeman in separating the train.

Figure 1 of the drawing represents in side view the air brake train pipe and the signal pipe extending through one of the cars of the train and connected to the main reservoir of the locomotive, with its various accessory parts. Figs. 2 and 3 are enlar ed views of a three-way valve located in t e cab of the engine and under control of the engineer by which the signal pipe, and through it the angle-cocks, are put under the control of the engineer. Figs. 4, 4 and 5 represent the means for extending the engineers control to. the angle-cocks of the brake system, Fig. 4 being a top plan view, partly in section and on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 being a detail showing the position of the angle-cock in Fig. 4, and Fig. 5 being a side view of Fig. 4, partly in section.

In order to make my present invention intelligible, it will be necessary to first describe the subject matter of my other application as seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

In the drawing, Fig. 1, A represents the main reservoir located on the locomotive and having the pipe B extending to the engineers brake valve and the pipe B extending from the engineers brake valve to the train pipe T, through whichin the usual manner the engineer is enabled to apply the brakes by a reduction of the air pressure in the train pipe.

The train pipe T is connected between the cars with the usual hose ipes and couplings t and said train pipe is al so provided at each end on each car with the usual angle cocks v, and also for each car the usual connection with the tri le valve, not shown.

The signa pi e S extends through the car and is coupled between the cars by means of flexible hose 8, and has on each car a vertical.

pi e U rovided at the top with a discharge va ve both shown in dotted lines. By means of this discharge pipe (1 the conductor is enabled to reduce pressure in the signal pipe S and thus communicate with the engineer on the locomotive through the whistle E. The means by which this whistle is rendered operative by a reduction of pressure in the signal pipe is as follows: A pipe 1 connects the main reservoir A with a reducing valve C. This reducing valve on the other side, in the ordinary construction, is connected by a pipe 6, shown in dotted lines, with a signal valve D connecting with the pipe 5 leading to the whistle E. ing valve C simply performs the function of taking the air pressure at pounds from the main reservoir A and transmitting it to the signal valve D and the signal pipe S through the connecting pipe 7 at a pressure of 40 pounds. Now if by the operation of a discharge valve d this signal pipe pressure of 40 pounds is suddenly reduced this reduction, manifesting itself through the branch pipe 7upon the signal valve D, causes a movement of the signal valve which transmits the air to the whistle E in the manner already well known.

In my invention as set forth in my other application, I remove from all of the signal pipes S in each car the sto cocks which are ordinarily employed at t 1e ends of said signal pipe on each car, and instead of having the reducing valve C directly connected with the signal pipe through the connection7, as shown by dotted lines at 6, Fig. 1, I break away this connecting pipe at 6 and interpose The reduc two branch pipes 2 and 3 by means of suitable elbow couplings and extend these branch pipes 2 and 3 up into the cab of the locomotive, and at the ends of'these pipes 2 and 3 I connect a three-way valve F, shown in enlarged views in Figs. 2 and 3. This three-way valve consists of a plug F rotating in a casing G whose op osite ends are connected respectively to t e two parallel upright pipes 2 and 3. The plug of the valve is provided with a diametrical throughpassage 6, e and also with an intersecting right-angular port 6 communicating with the passage e, 6 Onone side of the casing G o posite the plug of the valve isformed a disc arge orifice g. When the lug valve is in the position shown in Fig. 2 with. its handle arm f vertical, the through-passage e, e is in open communication with the two pipes 2 pipe 2 leading to the reducing valve and to the main reservoir is closed and the pipe 3 connecting the signal pipe is opened to-the outer air through the ports 6, c and the discharge orifice 9. When in this latter position it will be seen that all the air in the signal pipe is bled from the same through the three-way cock orifice g. It will be thus seen that the three-way valve F within the cab enables the engineer to cut off the air from the signal pipe S of the entire train, thus obviating the necessity of stop cocks in this signalpipe at both ends of each car when. disconnecting a car from the train. It will also be seen that he isenabled atwill to again throw the air into this signal pipe, and thus render the signal pipe 0 erative indeendently of the memory of t e brakeman. n connection with my system it is necessary that the opposite ends of the signal pipe should be capable of closure and for this purpose a sto cockv p is arranged at the front end of the iocomoti-ve, and at the rear end of the train a suitable screw lug, cap or dummy coupler p is provided for tlE pigs at the extreme end of the train.

eferring now to Figs. 4, 4 and 5, which show my present invention, I- will describe how the engineer by the control of air in the signal pipe S is enabled to open all anglecocks on the train pipe T through which the brakes are applied.

The train pipe T and signal pipe S at each end of the car 1s provided with an air cylinder H, which by means of a yoke or collar Y is connected to these two pipes. On one side the yoke of the cylinder is formed with an" e hose of the signal (1 with the extreme end of cylinder H. Within the cylinder H is arranged a piston I having a hollow piston rod J and in this hollow piston rod rests loosely the end of a push rod K which is connected to an ofiset of the angle-cock arm M. This arm is rigidly connected to the plug n of the angle-cock, which plug has a passage-way m through it which when turnedto the position shown in Figs. 4 and 4 cuts oii" the air at this end of the train pipe, and when turned to the position shown in Fig. 5 opens the passage-way for the air through the hose coupling between the cars.

Now having already explained how the engineer controls the admission of the air through the signal pipe S, it will be seen that when air is thus turned on to the signal pipe its pressure through each of the air chests d acts upon each piston I and forcing the same to the left, 'as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, turns the angle-cock from its closed position shown in Fig. 4" to its open position shown in Fig. 5, and by a continuance of this pressure locks the parts in the position which insures, after the cars are coupled, that all the angle-cocks are open and, by insuring open continuity in the train pipe, establishes its operative relation to all the triple valves, and all the air brakes of the train. By having the rod K loose in the hollow rod of the piston, the piston acts on the angle-cock by a pushing movement only, so that the angle-cock may be manipulated independently by hand.

It will be understood that the train pipe is to have a dummy coupler 'or closing plug on the rear car, in order to close the rear end of the train pipe.

I do not claim broadly operating the angle-cocks by air taken directly from the train pipe as this is shown in my Patent No. 696,803, of August 1, 1902.

I claim 1. The combination with the train pipe and its angle-cocks of a signal pipe arranged beside the train pipe, and pneumatic means for operating the angle-cocks connected to and made operable through the signal pipe.

2. An angle-cock adjuster comprising the combination with the train pipe and anglecock; of a pneumatic cylinder and piston,

a train pipe with angle-cocks, and

means connecting the piston to the anglecock, a signal pipe arranged beside the train pipe and communicating with the cylinder, and a valve on the locomotive for applying and removing pressure from the signa pipe.

3. The combination of a signal pi e extending through the train, and a va ve located on the locomotive, arranged to simultaneously -cut off connection between the signal pipe and air supply and bleed the signal pipe, a train pipe with angle-cocks, and pneumatic means for operating the angle-cocks through the signal pipe.

4. In a neumatic signal and brake system for rai road cars, the combination with the signal air pi e, the .main air reservoir, the reducing va ve, the signal valve and whistle; means for cutting off communication between the reducing valve and signal pipe and discharging the air from the signal pipe, said means being located on the locomotive and under the control of the engineer, atrain ipe with angle-cocks,and neumatic means or operating the angle-cocEs through the si nal pipe.

5. In a pneumatic signal and brake system for railroad cars, the combination with the signal air pipe, the main reservoir, the reducing valve, the signal valve and whistle; of a three-way cock located in a pi e between the reducing valve and the signa pipe,

7 pneumatic means for operating the angle-cocks through the signal pipe.

6. In a neumatic signal and brake system for rai road cars, the combination with the signal air pipe, the main reservoir, the reducing valve, the signal valve and whistle; of two branch ipes connected, one to the low pressure si e of the reducing valve and the other to the signal pi e, said two branch pipes being extended to t e cab of the engine and provided with a three-way cock adapted to open communication between said branch pipes, or close the same and open the signal pipe to the outer air, a train pipe with anglecocks and pneumatic means for operating the angle-cocks through the signal pipe.

WILLIAM S. DE CAMP. IVitnesses:

EDWARD MERKLE, LOUIS RICHARD. 

